Waiting for the onions to cook down, working on getting this site in order, drinking the Moinette Bruin 2009 from Brasserie Dupont, and regarding a press-pot-decantation of a bottle of Schiavenza 2001 Barolo, decanted yesterday, waiting for tomorrow's enjoyment. It had an odor of rosepetals and tar on Monday, inspiring a rosepetal/hibiscus tea that evening, and then it became very tannic, dry and acidic (Barolo, bien sûr), and required more air. Decanting is always an issue, but not in this case... How will it taste with tomorrow's Onion Soup/Brandade with Morels/Roasted Pheasant? On verra... A great friend's birthday is tonight, and I can't miss the party...

So I'm just home, crafting a classic French Onion Soup after a day of creating a new cheese menu for the wine bar for which I'm sommelier and now the proud and passionate cheesemonger, and after tasting through a host of terrific new arrivals from Neal Rosenthal, including an unusual range of 2008 rosés from France, which signaled the coming of Spring. As may be expected, the Côtes du Rhônes were showing beautifully, along with the Provençals, while the Bandols and Ventoux were still a bit closed...